Today you’ll run an unplugged coding lesson where pupils “program” a classmate to navigate a simple grid from Start to Goal while avoiding obstacles.

You may want to set this up in the school hall for more space or if your school has outdoor space, you could use chalk/hula hoops to mark out your area.

The goal for students today is to compare different algorithms for the same task and reason about efficiency.

Clear a small area; mark a simple 5×5 floor grid with masking tape or tiles. (Alternatively, you could mark out a 5x5 grid with Hula Hoops or with Chalk outdoors!)

On the board, write two directions side by side and select one student in the class to be a 'robot'.

Ask the robot to follow these instructions :

• Vague: Go over there. → (Robot wanders / guesses)

• Precise: Step forward 3 squares. Turn right 90°. → (Robot moves exactly)

Ask: “Why was the second instruction better?”

Emphasise the importance of the following three elements:

1. Clear verb first — Step, Turn, Face, Back, Pause

2. Number/units — 3 squares, 2 steps, 90°

3. Correct order — one command per line, in the sequence to follow

Anchor it with V–N–O.
Write V–N–O = Verb · Number · Order as a mini-checklist pupils must use before testing any program.

Explain and play a game of Direction Dash with your class.

Setup: Pupils stand around the grid’s outer edge, all facing the same dirction. 

Command set (use only these at first):
Explain that you will be giving the following instructions: TURN Left/Right 90° · FORWARD 1/2 · BACK 1 · PAUSE

How to run it:

• Call one command every 2–3 seconds. Pupils echo the command (“FORWARD 2!”) and then move.

• Start slow (single moves), then chain two or three moves (e.g., TURN RIGHT 90°; FORWARD 2; PAUSE).

• Keep steps small; no running; watch spacing.

Focus twist (attention + debugging):

• Clap = UNDO last move (they reverse just their most recent command).

• Optional extras: “Double!” = do the next command twice; “Reverse!” = swap left/right for the next TURN.

  To keep students invested, you can turn this game into a knockout style game where mistakes/hesitations of commands eliminate that student from the round.

Explain that we're going to use the same “program vocabulary” in our next activity: TURN Left/Right 90°, FORWARD, BACK, PAUSE.

Model once, slowly: choose a visible Start Square and a chair as Goal inside the grid.

Guide this student to the chair using this program vocabulary. Making sure to emphasize precise instruction.